


The Rules

by Alithea



Category: Discworld - Terry Pratchett, Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Genre: Crossover, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-24
Updated: 2019-06-24
Packaged: 2020-05-18 18:53:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,171
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19340530
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alithea/pseuds/Alithea
Summary: The Rules always change according to the choices that have been made.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written in 2008 for the Live Journal Yuri Challenge. The prompts that year were based on the I Ching. And I just realized I never moved this fic over here from my lj and ff.net.

Collections of stars dot the blackness of space creating intermittent pools of color. The stars are all worlds, some are dead, some live, and some are just masses of collected gases and minerals, though it could be argued that those live as well. Some worlds are round, some egg shaped, others are like hour glasses, and there are the occasional square worlds (which tend to produce accountants, humorless lawyers, and corporate synergy in terrifying amounts). In the vastness of the multiverse nearly anything can and will happen.

Everything changes and moves, swirling along happily until something comes along to throw the whole system off kilter. Sometimes that something is generally bad for whatever it is about to run into. Sometimes that something is generally good. And, quite often, it's all just a matter of opinion (and quantum, quantum usually has a lot to do with it).

Something was moving very quickly in a streak of red glowing light towards a flat world on the back of four giant elephants that stood atop an enormous turtle swimming through space.

The world was the Discworld.

The turtle was the Great A'Tuin.

The elephants had never been asked their names, and no one who had ever seen them was in a position to stop and ask.

The streak of red light stopped its furious journey and paused, a glowing orb of red, before a large man atop a horse in the middle of space.

"Where exactly do you think you're going?" The man asked, and it should be noted that he was not a man at all. He was, in fact, War. He was big and burly with red hair and a bushy beard. He was dressed in armor; a helmet sat on his head, and from the saddle of his horse hung the severed heads of fallen soldiers.

The glowing red light took shape, and it took the shape of a beautiful young woman with long red hair, wearing a red leather jacket, and riding on the back of a motorcycle.

The young woman grinned at War.

War folded his arms across his chest and sat up a little taller in his saddle. He hadn't been grinned at like that since he'd met his wife. It was an attractive grin, but it was the sort of grin that cats liked to give mice before devouring them.

"Well, I haven't all day." He stated, trying to sound authoritative.

"I'm just… traveling," the young woman replied.

War shook his head. "You don't belong here."

"At the moment I don't belong anywhere." The young woman said, her eyes glowing red for a moment, and then she added, "I'm not after your job though, if that's what you're thinking."

War grumbled. "Look, there can't be two of us."

"I'm not planning to stay. I'm just passing through."

"Right." War nodded. "Alright then, girl, you can touch down, but don't let me catch you messing about with my business."

The young woman smiled. "I wouldn't dream of it."

******

The skeletal hand of Death reached out and hovered above the chessboard. It was about to touch a black pawn, but then hesitated and moved to touch the bishop instead. The skeletal hand withdrew from the piece about to move on to another, but the motion was stopped by the sound of his granddaughter's voice.

"No take backs grandfather," she said and then drummed her fingers along the arm of the chair she was sitting in.

Death moved the bishop.

CHECK MATE. He said.

His granddaughter sighed and looked over the board. She wasn't sure why she had agreed to stop by. She liked to keep her life as normal as possible, even though she had come to the conclusion that it never would be. She liked to pretend at least, but when the invitation had arrived she could not turn it down.

She brushed back a strand of white blonde hair from her face, tucking it behind her ear. Her hair had a tendency to have a mind of its own and very often in Death's realm it would do as it pleased. She glanced up as she saw the errant strand making a move. It stopped, and then obediently tucked itself behind her ear once more.

ER… SUSAN?

"Yes, I know... Time's nearly up." She hastily picked up a piece and set it down. It took her out of check for the time being but if she had looked carefully she would have seen it was a lost cause.

Chess was just about the only game Susan would agree to play with her grandfather. It was very hard for Death to lose at games, even chess, but there was at least a sporting chance since he often forgot which way the pieces moved.

Susan took a mildly deep breath. This visit was not about playing chess. She had a feeling why he had invited her over and while deep down the sentiment was sweet there were just some things she was not prepared to talk about with her grandfather.

ABOUT-

"I don't want to talk about it," Susan said quickly.

OF COURSE, YOU ARE NOT READY.

"Grandfather, even if I was ready I'm not sure I could talk to you about it."

WHY NOT?

She rolled her eyes and sighed. She wasn't sure she could make him understand. "I just… I have to go. Thank you for the lovely game."

Susan stood up and began to walk away.

IT WAS NICE TO SEE YOU, SUSAN.

She stopped and looked at him. She smiled weakly and then continued her exit.

Death looked over the pieces on the board and then stood up. There was a slight scuttling along the floorboards as the Death of Rats entered the room. It stopped and looked up at Death in a quizzical manner (well as quizzically as a rat skull can look at anything).

SQUEAK?

NO. SHE DID NOT WISH TO DISCUSS IT.

SQUEAK?

NO, I DO NOT BELIEVE GOING AND HAVING A CHAT WITH THE YOUNG MAN WOULD BE…APPROPRIATE.

Death moved through his house and stopped at a door that led to the life timers. He entered it prepared to get back to work, but noticed something odd. There was something floating in the middle of the room. It was a life timer, but it was translucent and no sand was running through it, at least not yet. It also had a slightly red glow about it. The name on the timer was somewhat blurred and consisted of three letters. The letters would change depending on which way Death glanced at it.

THIS IS VERY INTERESTING.

The Death of Rats moved along the floor and then scurried up Death's robe and perched on his shoulder.

SQUEAK.

OF COURSE. THERE ARE RULES. IT MIGHT BE SOME TIME, HOWEVER, UNTIL THE CORRECT RULES ARE APPLICABLE.

********** 

No one on the streets of Anhk-Morpork noticed Susan. No one ever did if she didn't want to be noticed. She walked with swift purpose towards a part of town that respectable school teachers generally did not walk down. She needed a drink. Well, perhaps not a drink, but Biers, the pub for anything and anyone that went bump in the night, seemed like a good place to be. Amid the odd assortment of bogeymen, vampires, werewolves, and the occasional tooth fairy Susan found an odd sense of normalcy. Of course her classroom was a haven for normalcy as well (because nothing pulls one into reality faster than having to clean up after a child that's just eaten one too many crayons), but school was out, and, at this point, it wouldn't be enough, not after the visit with her grandfather.

He was trying. She knew that. He always did, but she had to wonder who suggested that he may want to make himself available to discuss her failed romance. It might have been the raven, but it was probably Albert. She held fast to the hope that it had been Albert, but only because the raven got on her nerves.

The thing was she did want to talk about what had happened and why everything with Lobsang had gone wrong. She really did, but not with her grandfather. It was really something to be discussed with a close friend or even one's mother, but Susan didn't have close friends and her mother was dead. Her grandfather was all she really had at all, but there were just some things she could not talk to him about. It felt too awkward.

Romances ended sometimes. It was inevitable and she knew why things with Lobsang did not work out. It was because while he was mostly human he had taken on a duty that was not. He had tried to maintain a balance, but the problem was that after a while the balance shifted. And he was still sweet, and he was still him, but he was different, and ultimately, and as funny as it sounded, he just didn't have the time to dedicate to her.

He didn't have the time and she had things she wouldn't sacrifice either, like her classroom. Things fell apart, and things were said that should not have been said. She never liked to admit that it was all her fault but maybe it was, or maybe, like her grandfather, she was just destined to be alone.

Susan's thoughts were shaken by the sound of coins hitting the ground. She stopped and looked over to see a monk sitting near the edge of the street. He smiled at her and then looked at the ground where three coins had fallen.

She stepped over to him, but before she could speak the monk picked up the coins and handed them to her.

"Ask a question and throw the coins. I will tell your future" The monk said.

Susan didn't think much of fortune telling, because if she had really wanted to know the future then she could remember it, but she tossed the coins up anyway. She didn't think she had asked a question either, but the mind asks questions all the time without a person really being aware. A question had been asked and it was going to be answered.

The coins came down making a little clinkclinkclink noise as they hit the street.

The monk looked them over and nodded. "The wind blows low across the mountain." He said. "Work on what has been spoiled."

Susan arched an eyebrow, tossed the monk a coin, and continued walking. That wasn't exactly the kind of fortune she had wanted to hear, especially since it rang true in an odd way.

******

The wind blew low across the mountain and the bandits had just jumped up out of their hiding places surrounding the oddly dressed young woman with long red hair. They approached with swords drawn. The leader of the group was about to speak, and then, without warning, he turned on his fellow bandits.

The young woman crossed her arms over her chest and watched as one by one the bandits began to fight each other over petty things like who had more right to be the leader and who was a better bandit altogether. The fray lasted for about ten minutes until only the young woman was left standing.

She glanced around at the carnage, bent down and took one of the bandit's money pouches, stood up, and shrugged. It was all too easy sometimes to get people to do what she wanted. She stepped forward, prepared to continue her journey, but she decided to wait for a second. She grinned and turned around to face a hooded figure on a white horse carrying a scythe.

"Very traditional," she said.

The figure dismounted and tapped the blade of his scythe; it glowed with a blue light for a moment before he swung it over the fallen bodies of the bandits. Their ghostly figures stood up and looked around in bewilderment.

"I told you it was bad luck trying to rob a mysterious young woman traveling alone. 'Ere, and she's nicked Billie's pouch as well." One bandit said to the rest before they all faded from view.

The hooded figure turned towards the young woman. She smiled upon seeing his skeletal features. 

DO STAY OUT OF TROUBLE WHILE YOU VISIT. Death said and then asked pointedly, YOU ARE JUST VISITING?

"Just passing through," the young woman said, looking around at the scenery for a moment before glancing back over at Death. "Though, I must say I really like this world, nothing like traditional thinking with magic in the mix. I've already spoken with War."

INDEED. JUST REMEMBER IF YOU SHOULD STAY-

"I know the rules," she interrupted hastily, almost angrily, and turned to make her way back down the mountain.

YOU MAY WISH TO CONSIDER ALTERING YOUR ATTIRE DURING YOUR STAY, UM… WAR?

The young woman turned and grinned. She snapped her fingers, suddenly in new attire, and said, "I suppose this will have to do then, and please, while I visit, you may call me Red."

Red turned and walked forward, and then disappeared. She could travel fast if she wanted. Nearly invisible to the eye, but she stopped every so often to take in the scenery and have a bit of fun. There was no sense in traveling if one didn't enjoy the sites.

Death stayed behind and pulled something out of his robe. It was a life timer. It was not exactly all there, but it had become slightly more solid since he had last checked on it. He looked at the name, but it still shifted between two three letter words. With care he placed the life timer back into the folds of his robes.

Rules were tricky things when it came to anthropomorphic personifications. It all depended on choices and changes. It also largely depended on the world in which it lived (so to speak). Traveling was not unheard of but it was highly discouraged. There could only be one Death, there could only be one War, having more than that tended to mess things up. There was always room for special cases, the Death of Rats being one, but, again, it was the rare exception to the long list of rules.

There was, however, the little matter of the odd shifting life timer. It meant something. Exactly what it meant Death was not entirely sure of yet. He had never seen a life timer like that before. It was not technically in existence, at least not yet. No matter the eventual outcome, once things were clear Death would perform his duty. In the meantime, he pondered possibilities and what they would mean.

*************

Just before Red made her entrance at the small pub known as Biers there had already been something of a scene in the establishment. It occurred when a young woman with white blonde hair, and a streak of black hair had entered and ordered a drink. Most of the occupants of the bar had learned, and very quickly, not to judge a book by its cover, but there were some that were new in town and thought that harassing a young lady was a good idea. Those newcomers swiftly learned that things like Rule Number One applied to more than just tiny unarmed old men in robes holding brooms.

Red entered the pub.

Most of the occupants in the pub paused in their drinking to look her over. Which said a lot since most of those in the pub were too busy drinking alone (even in groups) to notice anything that came through the door.

Red looked about twenty-five (and she always had) and was of fairly average height. Her hair, which was a true auburn (giving the term natural redhead several new meanings), and usually cascaded down to her waist in waves of luscious locks, was pulled up into a neat bun, although two shorter locks were loose and framing her face. She wore spectacles with red lenses and behind those was a pair startling orange eyes. She wore a black dress, with dark red trim around the collar, and red heeled boots. She looked like a librarian from hell.

Indeed, she was a remarkably beautiful woman, gorgeous some would argue (and they were beginning to). However, her type of beauty was like that of an explosion, or an extremely large and deadly fire. It wasn't something one was sure he should be near, look at, or think about, even when doing so at a supposedly safe distance.

Red made it to the bar without any trouble and took a seat. She looked the bartender over and decided to play it safe by ordering vodka over ice. The man serving drinks looked as though he took drink orders quite literally, and she had a feeling she knew what she would get if she ordered a vodka on the rocks.

Her drink arrived just before the first chair whizzed by her head.

She sighed and took a sip.

In the old days she would have grinned and been quite satisfied with herself, but things had changed a bit, and frankly she wasn't even trying. She never remembered trying in the first place. Things just naturally erupted in her presence. Once peaceful locations could turn into war zones in the span of a few days, but during her travels things were not the same. They couldn't be because of The Rules. She had to respect the territory of those she was in, but some things were slightly beyond her control, like inadvertently causing bar brawls.

Red ducked to dodge an oncoming bottle without so much as looking, when a voice from the crowd pulled everyone's attention.

"STOP FIGHTING THIS INSTANT."

An eyebrow rose as Red turned around to see most, if not all, of the pub's patrons, frozen mid-fight.

That voice she knew, and yet, it was not exactly his voice, was it?

She grinned. She liked this world more and more already.

The patrons of Biers nervously and with much embarrassment shuffled off to their corners picking up tables and righting chairs as they moved along. At the back of the pub dusting off the front of her dress was a young woman with white blonde hair and a streak of black hair. She looked the sort that didn't suffer nonsense, and indeed she was not.

The young woman looked over at Red and swiftly made her way over to the bar. She took a seat, called the bartender over, and upon receiving her drink (a gin and tonic) turned to look at Red.

"Do you think it would be too much to ask that you control yourself and not do whatever it was that you did to make everyone in here act like they were in the middle of a battlefield?"

"After the scolding you gave them, I dare say, they'll be too afraid to pay attention to anything I may or may not be purposefully doing." Red stated and then added pointedly, "Death's like that you know?"

The young woman looked a little angry.

"I'm Red, and you are?" She held out her hand.

"Miss Susan." Susan said and ignored the outstretched hand.

"School teacher?"

"Yes." She looked at Red suspiciously.

"The powers of Death with the attitude of a school teacher, no wonder they behaved so quickly."

Susan's eyes narrowed for a moment. "Look, I don't know what you are but-"

"War."

"I beg pardon?"

Red took a sip from her drink, looked Susan in the eyes and repeated herself, "I am War. Not the War of this world, but War nonetheless. And you are Miss Susan who is-"

"Death's granddaughter," Susan stated and then added quickly, "It's a long story."

"I bet." Red chuckled. Her laughter was strange in other worlds that had not moved along in technology as her own had, but it often made adjustments. To the ears of many near her it sounded like a thousand arrows rattling into the ground.

"No." Susan muttered and shook her head.

"No, what?"

Death's granddaughter stood up from her seat and quickly placed money on the bar. She looked at the woman before her who was War and she was beginning to sense the truth in it. She shook her head again.

"No, I'm not going to fall into this clichéd trap." She stated, though she was mostly talking to herself. "I mean it all sounds lovely at the start because you seem interesting and we could probably hold great conversations. It would work out wonderfully and we'd end up really connecting as we're inadvertently drawn into a plot to save the world. But…No. I've been there and done that too many times now and I know how it ends."

Red was unfathomably fascinated by this point and couldn't help but ask, "And how does it end?"

Susan stared ahead at nothing in particular and replied, "With both of us alone." She shook her head and quickly walked out Bier's. 

Red watched her go and once the door shut she turned to the bartender and called for another drink. "What's your name?"

"Igor, miss."

Red looked up at him over the top of her spectacles and said, "Tell me what you know about Miss Susan."

The bartender looked ready to protest, and then, without knowing why, he told what he knew, which wasn't much, but it was enough. Enough to make Red a little more curious and by that action it led her closer to the dangerous area of The Rules and what happened when they were broken.

**********

There was howling wind blowing low across a mountain.

There was a flaming sword.

There were tears being shed and brilliant orange eyes looking on with dawning and sad realization.

Susan's eyes flickered open and she sat up in her bed.

"Damn." She said and got up out of it. She moved to her closet and pulled out a dress. She started to change.

"Damn. Damn. Damn." She said again hurriedly and moved in front of the mirror. Her hair styled itself into a bun.

She took a deep breath.

It wasn't fair. Life hardly was, but it really was not fair. She didn't want to remember the future. It did not happen often, and generally it was a sign that her grandfather was acting out of sorts but this time… This time it felt rather more personal than that. It was herself warning herself, only it was not doing a good job. She understood the mechanics of defense mechanisms, but honestly sending her jagged pieces of memory was not helpful. It made her curious when she knew it should have made her cautious.

Susan was about to walk out of the door and then stopped herself. She went back and looked into the mirror.

"Right," she said, "I should just stay home. This is stupid. If I go, what I just remembered will happen."

She moved back to her bed and sat on it. She shut her eyes.

There was a flaming sword clashing with a defensively held crown.

There were scales in the snow.

There was wind across the bottom of a mountain howling low.

Susan opened her eyes again. She shook her head, stood up, and walked out of the door.

"I'm going to regret this." She said to nothing in particular.

*********

OH MY, Death said when he entered the life timer room. 

Two more life timers had appeared, but these were much more stable than the one that apparently belonged to the visiting War. In fact these were quite solid, which was odd considering to whom they belonged.

MORE VISITORS, THIS CAN NOT BE RIGHT.

He moved to the biography room and pulled out three books. They were mostly empty which was strange. There should have been more to them. It should not matter that the three had just arrived on the Disc. The books should have contained a full history that would continue writing for as long as the three existed. It had to mean something.

Death went and sat at his desk. He tapped his boney fingers along the top and then stood up.

He did not want to do what he was about to do, but everything he should have known he did not know. Things were out of sorts, but there were those that would know what was going on no matter what, and while he greatly disliked them, he found that he was going to have to ask them a few questions. Asking meant bringing things to their attention and if there was something one never wanted to do it was bring things to the attention of an auditor, and most especially not The Auditors.

Death waited. He would not have to call them. They would just show up, and in fact three gray robed figures were now floating in his study.

It was hard to say that Death hated anything, but he was quite certain he did not like The Auditors. It was the way they worked that bother him. They wanted things orderly. They hated life, specifically humans, and on more than one occasion had sought to remove its existence. Death, despite his function, really appreciated life, and specifically humans. The charm of beings that could create something like boredom in a world of wonders was utterly amazing.

WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE VISITORS THAT HAVE RECENTLY ARRIVED ON THE DISC?

The robed figures looked at each other carefully and then nodding one spoke, We know they do not belong here. We know they should be dead.

DEAD?

Yes. They were meant to return to human minds.

WHY DIDN'T THEY?

One made the choice to move on, as gods do. She travels and this is allowed so long as she follows The Rules.

AND THE OTHERS?

The Auditors looked at each other, almost uneasily, and then one said, A small fragment of the others escaped into the Universe. There are rules for these circumstances as well.

OH YES. RULES INDEED, AND THEY WILL BE FOLLOWED.

The Auditors nodded and the one said, Then all three will no longer be a problem.

Death stared at the three robed figures and then said, I SHALL OBEY THE RULES.

Good.

The Auditors disappeared.

Death stood up and walked into the life timer room. The Death of Rats was inside looking at things.

SQUEAK?

Death looked at the new life timers.

OF COURSE I DO NOT TRUST THEM.

SQUEAK.

NO, NO I SEE NO REASON TO DRAG HER INTO THIS MESS.

Death picked up the two new life timers and put them into the folds of his robe.

SQUEEE-AK. Said the Death of Rats and it hopped up and down.

IF YOU FEEL YOU MUST.

The Death of Rats scampered off. Death wandered back over to the biographies and pulled one out. He began to read and then shook his head.

OH DEAR. He said and then put the biography back on the shelf before going out to fetch his horse.

To be continued...


	2. Chapter 2

It was late evening when Susan arrived back at Biers. She looked around and noted the usual somber quiet of the pub. Normally this would not have bothered her except that Red, the woman who had introduced herself as another War, was still sitting at the bar.

Susan huffed, and moved to take a seat next to the redhead. She ordered a gin and tonic when Igor lumbered over. After she received her drink she tapped her fingers along the bar. Then she looked over at the woman sitting next to her, who was grinning.

"Right, I didn't come back because I want to be friends," Susan stated and then said, "Why did you come here exactly?"

Red shrugged. "I was just traveling and this looked like a good place to stop for a while."

"Okay. I can buy that, but why are you traveling anyway? Don't you have somewhere you ought to be? A world that you are more or less in charge of as far as war goes?"

"Not anymore." Red replied darkly and then smiled. "Why all the questions?"

"I just remembered bits of the future and you were involved. I'd rather not have to save the world again."

"Is hero work something you do often?"

Susan arched an eyebrow. "Do I look like a hero to you?"

"Not in the least." Red took a sip from her drink and then asked, "What was it you saw?"

Susan told her.

Red removed her spectacles and placed them on the bar. She took a deep breath and then wavered. She thought of The Rules. She had been invited to touch down. With an invitation she could stay without repercussions for a full cycle of the moon. Without an invitation, well there The Rules were not as kind. She took another sip from her glass and turned in her seat to get a better look at Miss Susan.

On the inside the young woman was a well worn battlefield now at rest. It was easy to spot the people who warred with themselves; at least it was for Red. The ones that had finally stopped tended to have scars in the form of walls, and Miss Susan definitely had built up a lot of walls. She looked the sort that was really good at math and calmer, cooler, and more collected than a cucumber in a crisis, but then Red supposed that sort of thing went along with being a terminal teacher.

"Why is everyone so calm?" Susan asked after a long stint of silence.

"I've learned to control myself."

"That quickly?"

"It's actually taking quite a lot of concentration. There's a werewolf in the back corner that really wants to have a go at one of those vampires behind us. Once I leave I bet quite the row starts." Red took in Susan's expression. "What?"

"Is it because I asked you to?"

"What? No, because I promised War and Death I'd behave myself," Red said and then added reluctantly, "And because you asked me to so politely."

"Right." Susan wasn't exactly sure what she was getting herself into, but she did know what she had seen. "Buy me a drink."

"Why?"

"So I can relay a rather long story to you."

"Why?" Red asked again, finding herself excessively intrigued and amused.

"Because at this point you're the only one I have to tell it to."

************

Two figures were walking out of a small town. One was tall, thin, and dressed severely all in black. He was very neat looking with an even neater looking goatee. The other figure was slightly shorter, pale, and dressed all in white. He was decidedly not at all neat, the whiteness of his clothes being covered in a film of dirt and muck.

"I think that went rather well, Mr. Black," said the man in white.

"Indeed it did, Mr. White," the man in black replied. He looked along on the road. "We should not tarry much longer or _they_ will find us out."

"Is it wise for us to be traveling as we are?"

"It is safer. If we appear human there is less chance of being found out," Mr. Black replied.

"And what about, The Rules?"

"They are meant to be broken, Mr. White."

*************

Susan did not want to like Red. In fact, there was a part of her that quite loathed the woman, but that was the part of her that understood that Red was War, and not many people liked war. Granted, Red seemed to be the kind of War who had been used to ushering humans around like playthings rather than merely fulfilling a necessary function which made the urge to dislike her just a touch stronger. However, there was one thing that Susan could not deny, no matter how much she wanted to, and that was that Red was actually quite fun to hang around with.

Red was feisty and fiery in a way that was not overly obnoxious or annoying. She didn't suffer impoliteness and did in fact try her hardest to control her powers, though on occasion some things slipped. It was hardly her fault though, as some forces could not be constantly controlled. Men fell over themselves to help her out, and while she grinned happily when she was obeyed, there was something in her features which told Susan she was not completely happy about it.

They had found each other throughout the week, mostly on accident. Susan was suspicious at first when they bumped into each other the day after they had initially met in Biers (granted Susan had been the one to tell a tale of too much information but she had been tired of keeping it and telling it to a stranger was better than telling it to no one, or her grandfather), but Red seemed rather more engrossed by the museum's contents and would mutter about how certain themes naturally carried with amazing coincidence throughout worlds.

Susan did not want to like Red. She did not, and of course because of that it was just inevitable that she would. All the little warnings went off in her head too, especially since Red had made it perfectly clear that she would not be sticking around for a lengthy period. Despite that, or perhaps because of it, Susan was becoming rather attached; even as she strolled through the park listening to Red tell her story.

Red was telling the story that explained why she was traveling. It started with the end of a world that did not quite end. It spun in spirals and filled Susan with rage at the audacity of Red's actions as War.

She stood mouth slightly agape as Red finished the tale.

Red waited in silence for a response.

Susan slapped her dead across the face, and then, surprised by her actions, said, "I'm-"

But Red held up a hand and rubbed her cheek. "No, no… I probably deserve that." She adjusted her spectacles and then said, "It's really what I get for underestimating children, and little girls in particular, though in my defense, on that world, I was merely fulfilling the duty of my function. It was time for the world to end by all accounts."

They walked on in silence for a while and then Susan asked, "So, was it just before or after the girl attacked you with the wooden sword that you decided a new career might be in order?"

"Just after which had been just enough time to make the choice to leave." Orange eyes shut briefly at the memory and then she said, "It isn't as if it matters. Leaving was just a way for me to keep this form. There's still war in that world, and one day there might even be another War, because humans can only keep things in their heads for so long before it starts to leak out and take the shape that humans decide to give it. But, I wanted… I wanted to stay myself if that makes any sense? I didn't want to change…"

She trailed off lost in the knowledge that while her first instinct was to remain as she was, unchanging, the fact remained that she had, and indeed was. She was not the same as she had been when she had called herself Scarlet, or Carmine Zuigiber, or even as War when she had first arrived on the Discworld. She had changed, she was changing, and she was not exactly sure why that was.

It could, of course, have just been the mere fact that gods changed in order to survive, but Red was War. She was a personification of an existing force. No one believed in war. No one had to really, because it was. It was something humans created and would probably always carry with them.

It could have been all that, but that did not feel particularly true. She was sure she'd find out eventually, or she hoped she would at any rate.

"I like this world, Miss Susan." Red said eventually, after feeling she had been too quiet. "I wish I could stay here. It's quite remarkable."

"Staying isn't an option?"

"Not unless I want to die. There are rules."

Susan bristled but remained silent as familiar warnings prodded at her.

Everyone leaves me, she thought, and I don't do anything about it except act like the stoic fool I am. "School starts back tomorrow," Susan finally managed to say. "I doubt we'll run into each other as frequently."

Red grinned. "You know we could actually plan to meet, unless the thought repels you after hearing about my sordid past."

Damn, Susan thought and then said, "No, not repels, it makes me angry. I don't think it is right to move people around like chess pieces to fulfill your every whim, even if your every whim is a mere aspect of your function."

"Fair enough." The woman smiled and looked over the top of her glasses. "So what do you say, tomorrow after you've tidied up the classroom a bit?"

"I-" _Damn, damn, damn!_ , Susan thought and then asked coolly, "Where?"

"Wherever you like?"

 _Damn, damn, damn, damn, damn, you know better than this_ , Susan's thoughts screamed. And then she said, "How about Biers?"

_You stupid, stupid girl it's just going to lead to trouble later! This is not how to keep yourself normal._

"Sounds good." Red said. "I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Alright."

Susan waved and watched Red walk off. Once the woman was out of sight she pinched the bridge of her nose and shook her head. She didn't know what she was doing, or rather, she knew what she was doing and she didn't know why she was continuing to do it.

She huffed.

Out of the corner of her eye she spotted a raven. She rolled her eyes and then walked over to it.

"Are you spying on me?" Susan asked, irritation and rage rising.

"Not exactly," the raven said as its eyes swiveled to look her over.

"You're not exactly spying on me? What are you doing then?"

"Keeping an eye on you," the raven said and then regretted it.

Susan grabbed his beak. "Unless it is of dire importance you... _and you_ ," she called out spying the Death of Rats hiding behind a park bench, "are to leave me alone."

She stormed off. She just should have stayed home in bed that night she had met Red in Biers, life probably would have been easier.

"So," the Raven squawked, "should we tell her it's of dire importance?"

SQUEAK, said the Death of Rats.

"Suit yourself, then. I'm gonna find myself some eyeballs. I don't need this abuset," the raven said and then flew off.

***********

One week passed, and then suddenly became two, and then three.

Red was enthralled by the city. It was rich with history and war (of course most history revolved around war). It was an amazing city and while there were times she thought it might do her some good to get out of the city and perhaps explore a few other countries she was too captivated to see her way clear. She visited museums and art galleries. She ate at local restaurants and took in the sites. She did manage to spare herself the agony of buying something from C.M.O.T. Dibbler, which was probably a mercy. She may have been immortal but some things no matter how godly and immortal you are will give you indigestion (and of course saying something from C.M.O.T. Dibbler would give you indigestion was being polite).

Sill the city moved in a fascinating way.

She liked to watch the movement of the Watch and their little battles with the Press. She liked the way strange colored smoke would drift up from the Unseen University. She liked the absolutely disgusting color of the river.

The city, that world, was a call to an earlier time, one she had not been in for quite a while. Despite her love for modern weapons systems she did miss the simplicity of swords and crossbows. She missed real bar brawls, and she was becoming aware that it was not just her presence that caused them. It was the time she was in, the place she was in. It was wonderfully organic and it was freeing.

And then there was Susan.

Red liked Susan.

She felt very often that the word "like" wasn't exactly correct, but the correct word was a jumble of emotions she was not sure what to do with, not really have felt them within this capacity. The way she felt about Susan bore a remarkable similarity to how she felt when an entire country had destroyed itself in the course of two days. Somehow, Red knew that Susan would not appreciate the comparison. There was one word, of course, that would have definitely suited better, but she could never quite get herself to agree to actually think of it, let alone say it.

It was quite odd. She had never had any problems expressing herself before. It was almost as if she were becoming just a little bit-

And the thought stopped there in a surge of fear because it meant an end. It meant no more traveling happily through the multiverse. It meant dying, and Red was not ready to face something like that, not really.

It was funny how easy it was to convince herself that her fear was nothing, because she wasn't really afraid of dying. She never had been. She was immortal after all. Technically, she would always be in some capacity. She was afraid of ceasing to be herself, and as the thought entered her mind more and more often she tried to ignore how much more human that thought made her.

That was why she was changing though. She wanted a sense of self. The more you wanted that individuality the more you lived. The more you lived the more apparent it became that you would eventually, and in some way die. And, while Red was busy telling herself that she didn't understand what was going on, and while she was telling herself she was certain she knew what The Rules were for her particular case, the more things changed, and began to shift her over into another category of being.

Red had been standing outside the school for about five minutes and then decided to venture inside. She wasn't used to Susan being late.

She went to Susan's classroom.

It was easy to tell it was Susan's classroom because, aside from being marked as such, it also had scorch marks from a field trip into a battlefield on it. Normal people could not see the scorch marks. Normal people might think they thought they saw something on the door that looked like a scorch mark for a tiny second, but that was generally before their brain told them that it couldn't possibly be true.

Red knocked and opened the door. She then quickly shut it again and walked out of the building.

Susan was in her classroom arg-

Well, that was the thing, Red wanted to say that Susan and the young man were arguing except that she had never known an argument to be so controlled and spoken in such low cold tones. Her own reaction had surprised her.

Normally she would have just gone into the room, but she stopped herself. She controlled herself because it was quite possible that Susan and the young man, who Red instantly recognized as Time, or was his name Lobsang? He was hard to read. He fluctuated and it was a bit disconcerting.

The part of Red that was War, and technically that was still all of her, knew he was Time, or at least the person in charge of Time. The other parts of her that had been changing saw him as merely Lobsang and wanted to hate him for being a stupid male. She wasn't sure where that had come from. It might have been jealousy, but it felt like it had come from something else as well.

In any case, Red knew that her presence in that room would make things worse and not better, because there was a type of war going on there. It was a sort of battle, and while she would not normally be so smug as to say she knew who was going to win, she did know who was going to win, and it made her happy. She was glad that the conversation going on inside that classroom meant Susan was not going to go back and try things again with Lobsang. She knew and it delighted her because…Well because…

She sighed and shut her eyes. She gritted her teeth and huffed. "Damn," she said softly.

Red stood and waited outside the school. She was not sure how long she would have to wait. She wondered if she should go back inside, or just leave. As she pondered her choices there was a tap in the vicinity of her shoulders. She turned around to face a small little man dressed a bit like a clerk. He had a package under one arm and a clipboard with quill hanging off of it and a built in well of ink.

"'Scuse me, miss. Package for you, miss," he said with a smile and held out the clipboard.

Red blinked and took it. The man looked very, very familiar. She took the quill dipped it in ink and signed her name on the little piece of paper and handed it back to him. He handed her the package and was about to walk off when he looked at the name she had written.

"'Scuse me, miss, proper names only." He said and then handed the clipboard back.

Red set the package down and looked at the name she had signed. She blinked, took the quill and scratched it out before very clearly writing, W-A-R, on the paper and then handed the clipboard back to the man.

"Good day to you miss," the little man said.

Red shook her head and then picked up the package and opened it. There was a rather large sword inside it. She looked at it in wide eyed horror.

"Oh no," she said, shaking her head. "This isn't at all right. The- The Rules?"

She shook her head. Something was going on. She had a vague idea what it was too, and she was torn about what she should do.

*******

Biers was generally slow in the early evening. Most if its customers liked the dark and therefore generally came out during the nighttime hours. There were probably only five occupants in the pub when Susan entered it. One or two looked up from their glasses, and then upon seeing Susan quickly looked back down.

As she suspected Red was seated at the bar. There was quite a collection of glasses in front of her. Susan stepped over to the bar and tapped the young woman on the shoulder. Red spun around and grinned, it was an erratic grin. It was the grin of someone who was pretending to be happy when they were really quite miserable. It was almost mad, but had not quite reached full potential.

"How many drinks have you had?" Susan asked before she could stop herself.

Red shrugged. She looked over at Igor and asked, "How many drinks have I had, Igor?"

"'Bout twenty miss."

Red turned back to Susan. "There you go... about twenty." She raised the glass in her hand to her lips and swallowed down the entire thing.

"Are you sure you're-"

"I'm splendid." Red said in the tone of someone who in theory was splendid, but was in reality trying to keep the world straight after having had twenty double shots of vodka over ice. "How did things go with the young man?"

Susan was taken aback and then said, "They didn't."

Red shrugged and then wobbled slightly in her seat.

"I think I should get you to your room."

There was a chuckle, "Don't have one. I'm War. I don't sleep. I don't need to. I don't get drunk either. Isn't that odd?"

Susan rolled her eyes and sighed. "Oh dear, this is going to be a long night."

"You wish."

Susan ignored that statement, mostly because Red was falling out of her chair. Susan caught her and draped her over her shoulder. She noticed the large sword near the previously occupied barstool and picked it up in her free hand. It was rather large, but it was light, very much like her grandfather's. She looked over at Igor who was watching with his eyebrow raised.

"Put her drinks on my tab please." Susan said and walked out of the pub.

**********

In all her life she never thought she'd ever have to look after someone who was drunk and passed out _again_. That was what she got for hoping.

Susan arrived back at her room and kicked open the door. She rather brusquely laid Red on the bed and placed the sword in the corner of the room near her umbrella. Then she took a seat near the window and took a deep breath.

Something odd was going on. 

First, she had never heard of a god or even an anthropomorphic personification getting drunk, at least, not after only twenty drinks. There was the sword as well, which was worrying in a different kind of way. It was not overly ornate. It was a battle ready working sword. Swords meant for combat did not need frills. It was the sword of War.

She looked over at the bed. Red was lost in the sleep of someone who had had one too many drinks. She wondered if the woman would have a hangover in the morning, and if she didn't if Billious would be somewhere out in the world cursing and ill in Red's place.

There was of course the other matter, the matter of Red walking in and seeing Susan having a discussion with Lobsang. Susan wasn't sure why she immediately thought that that would be a question or an issue, or why it felt like it mattered. It was nothing. And Susan had to let out a noise that was nearly a laugh when she realized how sad and true that statement was.

She shut her eyes and then opened them; out of the corner of her eye she saw the Death of Rats standing near a mouse hole trying to look nonchalant and business like. She sat up and shook her head.

"I see you over there." Susan said. "You aren't fooling anyone there haven't been mice here for a while now. Remember, you came just a few weeks ago for the entire family because Mrs. Greenham set out poison."

The Grim Squeaker shrugged and scurried over to where Susan was sitting.

SQUEAK. It said.

"I know," Susan replied coolly. "She introduced herself."

SQUEAK.

"And I know that as well. It's rather apparent that something odd is going on." She looked at the skeletal rat for a moment and then asked, "Why are you here anyway?"

It shuffled its feet and then said, SQUEAK.

A dark eyebrow rose and Susan grinned. "Really, that is sweet of you, but whatever this is I'll be fine." She paused and then added softly, "It isn't as if she's staying."

There was a muttering from the bed. Susan looked over and the Death of Rats scuttled off. Susan watched as the woman in her bed stirred and muttered softly. Red looked as if she were having nightmares.

Susan moved from her seat and sat on the bed. She brushed a lock of auburn hair back from Red's face and then shook her head.

_This is where the trouble starts _, she thought, _I start to care too much.___

__She turned her head and fixed her dark eyes on the sword in the corner of the room. It began to glow red around the edges as a feeling of uncertainty tugged at Susan's core. She shook her head and looked back at Red._ _

__"I've finished those battles." Susan muttered. "I don't need to fight, because I know who I am."_ _

__She bent forward and left a kiss on Red's forehead and then stood up. She looked around and sat back in her chair. She propped her legs up on the bed and shut her eyes. It had been a long day._ _

__To Be Continued…_ _


	3. Chapter 3

The landscape was barren except for a few brown stocks of corn that were jutting out from the ground and speckled with a worrying black substance. In the midst of the decaying landscape two figures sat on a large boulder and surveyed their work.

The younger looking of the two was looking up at the clear sky in disappointment. He seemed restless.

"Do you think they'll start to notice us soon, Mr. Black?"

"As we work on larger and larger scales they are bound to see a pattern, Mr. White." Mr. Black stroked his beard and then said, "This world is like the old days. There's surprising potential here that we could mold to our liking."

"Will she join us, do you think?" Mr. White bent down and picked up a clump of dirt that began to ooze in his grasp. He wiped the muck on his jacket and smiled.

Mr. Black raised an eyebrow and then said thoughtfully, "If she doesn't we may have some trouble."

"Indeed, Mr. Black."

The two stood up and began to walk towards the road they had deviated from earlier. When they reached it there was a small cart pulled off to the side. It was driven by a little man in spectacles who was dressed like a clerk. He smiled at them courteously.

"Hello, gentlemen," the little man said with a nod, "packages for you."

The little man handed Mr. Black and Mr. White a clipboard each. The two men accepted them and signed their names on the paper. The names were not at all similar to how they had been addressing each other. They handed the clipboards back and then the little man reached over in his seat and handed each man his package.

"Thank you, gents," the little man said and then rode off.

Mr. White unwrapped his package and looked over the crown in his hands. "It's a lovely second chance, Mr. Black."

"It was only a matter of time, Mr. White." Mr. Black said pocketing the small scales he had procured from his package. "I don't recommend wearing that now."

Mr. White took the crown off of his head and grimaced.

"All in due time, Mr. White. We have at least a few more days until the moon completes its cycle, and then… we can begin."

Mr. Black grinned and began to walk forward. Mr. White followed close behind him.

***********

The sun rose casting slow moving light across the city of Anhk-Morpork. It trickled in through the window of Susan Sto Helit's room in a shower of red-orange light that played across Susan's features in shadowed ripples. Red watched from the vicinity of the mirror, orange eyes fixed in awe. She had never quite seen as beautiful a sunrise as the one she saw before her.

There were very few choices left for her to make. The sword had arrived and it meant something that was probably terrible. Susan had been extremely kind to take care of her the night before, but she recalled their first meeting and felt there was only one thing she could really do now. It wouldn't make anything better, but she felt within herself a definite divide beginning. There were the parts that were War and the parts that were Red, and there shouldn't have been a difference, but there was. It was odd, but she felt she was leaning more towards the side that was Red (and the parts that were definitely Red just happened to have a lot of things in common with the parts that were War).

Red took a deep breath and faced the mirror. She stared at her reflection and then let her hair down. It cascaded down around her shoulders and swept about her waist, beautiful and luscious auburn locks. She concentrated and took a breath and then very carefully she stopped time (actually it wasn't really stopping time so much as greatly slowing it down so that everything looked stopped).

She snapped her fingers and she was now wearing a red leather bodice, red leather pants, and high heeled red leather boots that laced up to about her knees. There was a red cloak around her shoulders with a rather plain looking sword shaped clasp at the neck. She then turned from the mirror and walked over to the corner of the room to pick up the sword that had been delivered to her. It glowed with a deep red light around the blade's edge.

She was about to leave the room when out of the corner of her eye she realized she was being watched.

"I'm only mostly human," Susan chided from her chair and then stood up. "I keep going when time is stopped."

Red grinned half-heartedly; this was exactly the type of thing she was trying to avoid. "I'd forgotten."

Susan looked her over and then crossed her arms over her chest. "Where exactly are you going?"

"I need to have a talk with someone about this," Red said and held the sword in her hand aloft.

"Right, I'm coming with you." Susan said.

"You most certainly are not. You shouldn't be involved with this."

A look crossed over Susan's features. She only gave it every so often and the look was combining with the slight glow of the birth mark on her cheek that only ever showed when she was very angry or blushing furiously. She was definitely not blushing.

"I'm making myself involved," Susan said angrily. "You think you can just sleep in my bed after having one too many drinks and just casually waltz out the next morning like nothing happened? Well, you can't. I won't let you. I don't care if you are leaving this world soon. You don't just run out on people. It's rude."

Red's grin stretched itself across her lips in full force, and then she began to laugh, a million arrows rattling into the ground. She stifled it when Susan gave her another look. "I apologize, it's just that… It's just that…" She trailed off and stepped over to Susan and looked into her eyes. 

The birthmark was blazing on Susan's face, the three lines where Death had struck her father. She moved in closer and just when she was sure she was too close, and was certain Susan was probably going to slap her across the face, she smiled and stepped back.

"Alright then, you can come along," Red said. "Just don't blame me if you end up saving the world. I told you could stay home."

Susan smirked. She snapped her fingers and her outfit changed. It was a black dress with a black leather corset and high heeled boots. A black cloak hung about her shoulders with an omega symbol clasp. Her hair quickly freed itself from the bun which was what it did when Susan was being Death's Granddaughter.

Red started time and began to walk forward, knowing that Susan was close behind her. 

Somewhere in the back of her mind Red thought she could hear the sound of sand beginning to pour through an hourglass.

**********

The life timer on Death's desk glowed red, and became solid for a moment before shifting back to a slightly ethereal state. The sand within it (that was not really sand but seconds) began to pour through to the other side very, very slowly. The name on it seemed fairly permanent but there were moments when it would occasionally shift.

The Rules were odd things. They shifted as choices were made. Rules that had been applicable a second ago were now no longer valid, and new ones inched into place. And in the case of the life timer now on Death's desk The Rules were in constant motion. He had been watching the life timer with interest for quite some time. It was next to the other two life timers that had appeared but were solid (and the sands were already beginning to run low).

Choices and changes that's what it was all about.

He looked over at the now ethereal hourglass with the red glow about it. He noticed that when it shifted the amount of sand that had poured through changed. On one hand there was plenty to spare, though you could never quite tell with a life timer, and on the other hand it was running rather low.

It was going to come down to a choice. He felt it… in his bones.

***********

Susan stopped walking because she noticed that Red had fallen several paces behind. She turned to see the young woman hunched over and leaning on her sword. She moved down a few steps, but was stopped as Red held out a hand.

Red looked up at Susan. Her eyes were glowing, a dangerous blood red. She shook her head and quickly planted the sword as far into the ground as she could before stumbling back from it. She took a deep breath and stood up. She looked back over at Susan, and to Susan's relief the young woman's eyes were once again a brilliant orange.

"What was that?" Susan asked trying to keep the concern out of her tone.

"That was function taking over form," Red replied. She stepped further back from the sword and leaned against a tree. "Something's wrong."

"Well obviously."

"No, I mean really and truly wrong. Not just the situation, but me." Red walked back over to the sword. She knelt and then grasped the handle. "If you see flames or I start to not look quite so human my suggestion is to run and find your grandfather as soon as possible."

"What-" Susan didn't have time to finish asking the question.

Red began glowing as she grasped the sword's handle, eyes shut. A rather unbecoming smile was beginning to snake its way across her face and just as the first flickers of flame began to spark around the sword's blade Red opened her eyes and let go of it. She sank back and lay on her back taking in sharp, deep breaths. She shut her eyes and then opened them again looking over at Susan who was watching with apparent calm (though not calmly because her heart was racing).

"We don't have time to go and see War," Red said softly. "My time is nearly up and the others are already starting to leave their mark on this world."

"Others? You mean like the other three Horsemen from your world?"

"Only two, and in a way it's not really them." _Just as I am not really War_ , Red thought, _not anymore, not completely._

"And you got all that information by touching the sword?"

Red shook her head. "No, I got all that information by asking the Disc."

"And the warning?"

"I'm…" She searched for the right words. "I don't quite trust my powers at the moment." 

She stood up, took the sword out of the ground and walked over to Susan. She looked into dark eyes, and she could read those eyes better than she wanted to admit, better than even Susan would want to admit. She brushed a lock of hair from Susan's face and said, "I'm sorry."

"Why?"

"Because I can't let you come with me," Red said and then vanished, needing to concentrate to move as fast as she possibly could.

Susan stood alone in the forest and steadfastly refused to be anything except angry. It was easier for her to be angry than it was for her to be sad, or worried, or afraid (never afraid, she'd die before she'd admit she was afraid). She huffed and found her direction. She walked forward a few paces and then she shook her head, put her fingers to her mouth and whistled loudly.

Nothing happened. She wasn't always sure if anything would happen.

She shut her eyes and concentrated.

Snow… Mountains... Wind blowing low, and two men walking towards the hub.

Susan opened her eyes and nodded. At least she knew where Red was going.

The beat of horse hooves trotted towards her from behind.

She turned around and fought the tiny smile, a sign of relief, which edged at the corner of her mouth.

CAN I OFFER YOU A RIDE?

***********

Red had not wanted to leave Susan alone, but she did not have any other options. There was no doubt that Susan would be able to handle nearly any situation thrown at her, but that was not the point. The point was that Red did not want to have to say goodbye, and that was the best case scenario. The worst case scenario was that the parts of her that were firmly and resolutely War would break The Rules. Once those were broken there was very little doubt about how things would end. It was not something Red wanted to go through, and more importantly, not something she wanted Susan to witness.

The mountain she was treading across was covered in snow. She was low on the base, and the wind began to howl across it. It was a stagnant scene. It was an image that brought to mind decay, the inability to move on and change because of the past. It was an image Red used to leave behind her in war torn countries. It was something she used to love, but her love was elsewhere now. It curled around her, wrapped her up, consumed her thoughts, and she could hardly deny it any longer.

In the distance Red heard a muffled conversation. As she moved closer the voices became clearer and recognizable. The sword in her hands would occasionally send off a violent burst of red flame and of course the closer she got the more she felt her eyes going wrong, glowing with a deep red light.

"Why do you think they aren't coming out to face us, Mr. Black?" A voice Red recognized as Pollution's asked.

"Possibly, they are afraid to face their better selves, Mr. White." The reply came from Famine.

She paused for a moment before rounding the hill and making herself visible to them. She took a deep breath and really had to concentrate to keep the bits of her that were firmly War from bursting out all around her, but it was hard because she was angry.

Normally such boldness from her fellow Horsemen would be expected, but this was not their world and Red was not quite herself any longer. She was angry that they were breaking The Rules. She was angry that they were pretenders themselves, not quite the real things but trying to be just that. She was angry that they wanted to get their hands on that world. She liked the Disc too much to have them ruin and change it. But mostly she was angry that because of them she had to spend her last moments on the Discworld standing in the snow on the side of a miserably cold mountain, trying to stop them from destroying it, instead of being back in the city having a drink, talking to Susan, and looking into those beautifully dark eyes.

The glow about her died away and she stepped forward, now in plain sight. Pollution looked pleased to see her. Famine did not reveal his feelings one way or another.

"Lovely outfit, Miss Red," said Pollution, and it struck Red as odd that she should be addressed in that way by him.

She looked the two men over and thought about what she had overheard them saying. They addressed each other as Mr. White and Mr. Black. She grinned at their folly, though it was one she herself had made.

"Pollution, Famine," she said as she stepped closer. "What brings you here?"

"Funny," Famine said softly. "I was just going to ask that of you. We had thought you were displaced, like us, but then we realized that you weren't with us at all."

"I made a choice," she said looking into the black depths of his eyes. His eyes were cold, but they always had been.

"And we made a choice as well, War." Famine said. "We choose to escape and find our fortunes elsewhere."

"A great coincidence that you should choose to land here," Red replied. She looked over at Pollution who seemed slightly nervous. She held out her sword. "Look what was delivered to me."

Pollution relaxed slightly and smiled. "I got mine too." He held out his crown. "It's a lovely second chance, don't you think?"

"Second chance?" Red questioned and looked back at Famine who had taken the scales out of his pockets.

"Yes, I figured we could all ride in and have a chance to finish what was started back on our world. You know a little show to mark the new era. Of course we'd need to take care of our doubles on this world." Famine replied matter-of-factly.

She nodded.

Why not?

It would make sense that that would be what they wanted, except that they didn't fit into this world's structure at all. The War, Famine, Pestilence, and Death of the Disc were all very traditional. Granted she had only met Death and War, but she was certain the others fell into the same line of thinking. The world was traditional but perched on the edge of change, and Susan was a testament to that change. The change Famine and Pollution had in mind would be too much too soon. It would tip the balance and destroy everything.

Red gritted her teeth and tried to keep a lid on her anger, but it was getting impossible to do. At her very core Red knew that in the beginning the essence of war was red hot rage. It was violence upon others. It was anger uncontrolled. Her anger was taking ahold of her. That anger was making her all function, and function had just about had enough.

Flames burst violently from her sword, her eyes went red, and she glowed with a primal red light as she brought the sword up and moved swiftly forward.

*********

Susan couldn't shut her eyes as she sat behind her grandfather on his horse, Binky. Every time she shut her eyes she would see things in vivid detail that she did not wish to see. It was memory, except it hadn't happened yet, and she didn't want to know. Binky touched the ground and Susan immediately leapt off. Death followed and his granddaughter stared him down.

"You have business here I take it?" Susan asked.

YES.

She nodded. "Right then, just don't expect me to want to see you for a long time if this ends like I think it will."

Susan didn't even wait for a response. She rushed forward towards the sound of metal clashing against metal. She stopped in her tracks as she saw Red bringing her sword down to meet with a defensively held crown. For a moment Susan thought her heart had stopped. She hated that she had remembered the future correctly.

The young man Red was fighting, who Susan realized probably wasn't a young man at all, was pretty strong and he was doing a fair job of pushing Red back. There was just one problem with his defense and that was the metal of his crown was not nearly as good in quality as Red's sword, and it was rusting. The crown began to crack and eventually it broke in half. When it did the young man fell limply into the snow. He was probably dead but Red swung the sword around and stabbed it through his chest anyway. Black ooze pooled in the snow under his body.

Red did not look at all like herself, and Susan realized that this was what she had been warned about, this Red, who was really War and not human at all but merely function. The function was all violence and blind rage.

There were a set of scales in the snow and the sight of them made Susan take a very deep breath, though it was not enough to stop the tears that were beginning to stream down her face.

 _Damn, damn, damn_ , she thought, _I don't want it to end this way. She can't do this to me, not now._

Red was engulfed in her function and Susan did not have any weapons to face her. Her grandfather, she noticed was not anywhere nearby. That was worrying.

Red turned and looked at Susan. She grinned, and moved forward.

"I like this world, Miss Susan," Red said. "It likes me too. I could do so well here. This world would open right up for me. It could for you too. I think, in the end, a changing of the guard wouldn't be a bad idea." She looked back and the body of Pollution and shrugged. "Oh well, just the two of us isn't a bad start."

Susan stepped back and then stopped and stepped forward. "I'm only mostly human."

"You don't have to be. You only choose to be. I know you; you can feel it at the back of your neck every day. The power inherited, and if you wanted it you could have it all."

"I don't want it," Susan stated firmly. "And neither do you."

Red wavered, flickered, and for a second her eyes were normal again. Then she changed back suddenly, turning in the opposite direction and bringing her sword around with her. It clashed with another of lesser make, held by a gaunt man in black.

"I know what you hunger for," he sneered and kicked out with one of his legs.

Red stumbled back and planted the sword in the ground for a moment. She bowed her head and said, "Desperate times."

The man in black rush forward with his sword and slid to grasp at the broken scales in the snow. He picked them up and grasped them tightly in his free hand. Then he rushed towards Red.

She looked up and readied the sword. He was no match for her. She took a moment, a bare second, and looked over at Susan. She saw the tears streaming down her face. Memory raced towards her and she recalled the vision Susan had relayed to her the very first evening they had met. She took a breath and realization hit her. It showed in her brilliant orange eyes.

She looked back at the man, Famine, who was rushing towards her and drew the sword up to block the on coming attack. He pushed into her and the flames and red glow about the sword died away.

"I know what you hunger for," Famine hissed. "You can almost taste it, can't you? Almost at your lips all you could want."

Red looked him in the eyes and grinned. She used her weight to send him stumbling back a few paces and then swung the sword around clipping the hand he was using to hold the broken scales. They dropped into the snow and fell to pieces. Famine then collapsed, lifeless.

With great effort Red swung the sword out and then drove it into the snow. She stepped away from it and it rapidly began to rust, becoming useless. She stumbled a bit and then looked up. Standing before her was Death, and in the distance the sound of Susan calling out. Death held something out in his hand and Red smiled with sad and knowing relief.  
Something went swish.

Red looked up at Death and then sank to her knees.

Susan, watching in horror, rushed forward barely catching Red before she fell forward into the snow. She held her close and cried. Her grandfather was suddenly standing a few feet away. She couldn't even look at him.

THE THING ABOUT THE RULES, SUSAN, Death began, IS THAT, DEPENDING ON YOUR CHOICES, THEY CAN ALWAYS BE CHANGED.

He stepped away and mounted his horse.

Susan shut her eyes, took a deep breath, and was suddenly very startled by the movement from the woman in her arms. Brilliant orange eyes opened, very slowly, and a subtle grin formed on once still lips. The sun was beginning to set in the distance and the light played across Red's features.

"You were dead." Susan said, barely a whisper. Trying to act as if she hadn't been crying like a fool.

"Only mostly," Red replied.

"But I saw him cut something away."

"Yes, he cut away War…mostly." Red had never felt so tired in her life.

"Mostly?" Susan didn't know if she wanted to laugh, cry, or scream at Red for not having a better explanation, for nearly leaving her all alone.

"Well, yes, mostly." She shut her eyes and concentrated. She could feel the remnants of power lingering about her. If she thought about it hard enough she was sure there were some things she could still do. "I mean I was never human, and so now I'm only just mostly. Did your granddad just leave us here to freeze in the snow?"

Susan was about to say something but then she looked up and saw Binky standing alone a few yards off. She shook her head unable to speak. She probably owed her grandfather an apology, but she had a feeling that he might have understood why she would have been upset with him.

"So what powers are you mostly left with?" Susan finally asked, unable to think of anything else to say.

"Oh causing bar brawls," Red said finding a bit more strength. "I'm certain I can pick up any weapon and know how to use it without taking a lesson. I'm irrationally talented at history. I think that may be the most of it." She sat up and looked into Susan's dark eyes. She grimaced and then noticed the horse and laughed, a million arrows rattling into the ground. 

She looked back at Susan. "I'm sorry, Miss Susan" she said.

"For what? And under the circumstances I think you can probably just call me Susan."

Red leaned forward and kissed Susan on the lips, softly. She was about to pull away but was stopped. Susan had grabbed a hold of her and pulled her back.

"Don't be foolish," Susan said quickly before kissing Red as deeply as she could, all the while thinking, _Damn._

End.


End file.
